This paper introduces Tabasco (the name Tabasco is
derived from the project's name "A Tractable
Appraisal-Based Architecture for Situated Cognizers")
an architecture for software
agents aimed at integrating results from functional theories in
emotion research and insights on the impact of the capacities and
limitations of perception in a framework orientated along the
situated "New AI"/ALife approach. This expository paper first
briefly summarizes current views on the nature and function of
emotion and then discusses related current appraisal theories in
more detail. A survey of existing approaches to
emotion synthesis is
followed by a first outline of the Tabasco architecture,
relating it to the areas of research in psychology, ALife and agent
architectures.